CAQ-Palliative

The American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) administers the exam. The CAQ is offered by the American Board of Family Medicine (ABFM) in conjunction with ABIM and eight other ABMS member boards. All published deadlines are consistent with ABIM's schedule, so check ABIM's dates as well as ABFM's.

ABFM offers a one-day examination for initial certification and the Hospice and Palliative Medicine Longitudinal Knowledge Assessment (LKA) as an alternative for Diplomates seeking continued certification. The LKA was developed through a partnership between ABFM and ABIM. Confirm which option applies to your certification stage before registering.

The source page does not state the number of questions or the exam duration. These details are set by ABIM, the exam administrator. Consult ABIM's Hospice and Palliative Medicine exam blueprint and ABFM's one-day exam page for the current format before you plan your test-day timing.

The exam covers the breadth of hospice and palliative medicine: pain and symptom management, communication and goals-of-care discussions, psychosocial and spiritual care, ethical and legal issues, and care across settings including home, hospital, and hospice. Use the official blueprint to prioritize high-yield areas such as opioid prescribing and end-of-life decision-making.

Begin at least three to four months before your test date. Start with the blueprint to map domains, then review high-yield topics like symptom management and communication. Move to practice questions early, review every miss, and reserve the final month for weak areas and timed practice. Adjust based on your baseline knowledge.

Candidates often lose points by misjudging opioid conversions, overlooking non-pain symptoms, or choosing aggressive treatment when comfort-focused care is indicated. Weakness in communication and ethics scenarios is also common. Reading each question for the goal of care and the setting helps avoid these traps.

Yes. ABFM advises beginning the registration process early to avoid a late registration fee after the listed deadlines. The source does not state the fee amount or the exact deadline dates. Check ABFM's Important Dates page and ABIM's schedule for current deadlines before you register.

The source page does not describe retake policies, fees, or waiting periods. These are governed by ABFM and ABIM. Contact ABFM directly or review the current policies on their websites. Do not rely on older figures, since policies are updated periodically.

The source does not state a validity period. For continued certification, ABFM offers the Hospice and Palliative Medicine Longitudinal Knowledge Assessment (LKA) as an alternative to the one-day exam. Confirm your specific cycle requirements, including any LKA participation schedule, with ABFM and ABIM.